Evaporator plate



Feb. 13, 1945. E GAX 2,369,564

EYAPORATOR PLATE Filed July 25, 1941 WITNESSES.- INVENTOR:

2 ATTORNEYS.

PM Feb. 13, 1945 l EVAPOBATOB PLATE Ernest Gym, St. Louis, Mo assignor to Curtis Manufacturing Company,

poration of Missouri Weilston, Mm, a cor- Application July 25, 1941, Serial No. 404,059

3 Claims. -(Cl. 62-126) This invention relates to improvements in I evaporator plates that may be used in refrigeration systems. More particularly, the invention relategto improvements in evaporator plates that may be used in refrigeration systems.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose improved evaporator plates that may be used in refrigeration systems.

Evaporator plates that may be used in refrigeration systems have been known and used for some time, and some of them have operated quite satisfactorily. Some of them consist of a pair of relatively thin sheets of metal that are welded together to form a number of flat pockets therebetween. After the welding operation, the pockets between the pair of sheets are subjected to pressure. This pressure forces portions of the pockets to move a short distance apart and thereby form a number of hollow pockets for refrigerant. sheets of metal that are spaced from each other to form a narrow chamber for refrigerant, and still others consist of sheets of metal that are riveted together. Some of these evaporator plates have worked satisfactorily, but none of them has been completely satisfactory. None of them has provided a series of obstructions to the flow of refrigerant therethrough, that positively lengthens the path of flow of the refrigerant. Such a path fosters the rapid evaporation of the refrigerant and prevents the surging of liquid refrigerant into the return line of the compressor. The invention provides an evaporator plate for refrigeration systems having such a path. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an evaporator plate having a series of obstructions therein that lengthen the path of flow of refrigerant through the evaporator plate.

The present methods used in making evaporator plates for refrigeration systems are rather expensive. Since one of the advantages of evaporator plates is their cheapness, the present forms of evaporator plates are not completely satisfactory and are objectionable. The invention obviates this objection by providing a novel method of forming evaporator plates that is inexpensive but is eflectlve in making a good evaporator plate. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming evaporator plates that is inexpensive but effective in making a good evaporator plate.

Evaporator plates can be used advantageously in many plaees,.and one such place is a bottle cooler. In a bottle cooler, it is desirable to set the bottles close to the heat-absorbing surface.

Other evaporator plates consist of two tight.

An evaporator plate that may be bent into various shapes is quite desirable because it can provide a large heat-absorbing surface to which the bottles may be exposed. The invention provides such an evaporator plate. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an evaporator plate that may be bent to have a suitable configuration.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the drawing and accompanying description.

Several preferred forms of the invention have been shown and described in the drawing and aecompanying description, but it is to be understood that the drawing and accompanying description do not limit the invention and the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

- Fig. 1 is a'partial cross-sectional elevational view of one form of evaporator plate.

Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional bottom view of the evaporator plate shown in Fig. 1.

. Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of another form of evaporator plate.

Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of an evaporator plate for use in an ice cream freezing cabinet, and

Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional plan view of an evaporator plate that may be used in a bottlecooling cabinet.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the evaporator plate assembly shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, one form of evaporator plate made of sheet metal is shown in Fig. 1. In the evaporator plate shown in Fig. l, the sheet 30 has a plurality of projections 32 thereon, and the sheet and a plane sheet 34 are seam welded together. The seam welding of the four sides of the two sheets makes the plate gas An inlet tube 36 and an outlet tube 33 are attached to the faces of the plate and communicate with the interior of the plate. The projections 32 on the sheet 30 are inclined at an angle to the edges of the plate. When the refrigerant enters through inlet tube 38, it will contact some of the projections 32 and disperse. The inclined faces of the projections 32 will force the refrigerant to move toward the other end of the plate. This action will cooperate with the action of gravity to distribute the refrigerant in the plate. This keeps the refrigerant from flowing directly from the inlet to the outlet of the plate. As refrigerant continues to flow into the plate, the level of the refrigerant will move toward the inlet and outlet tubes, until it reaches the desired level. The vaporized refrigerant will be drawn out through outlet tube 88. A number of U-shaped pieces of metal ll may be spot welded to'the exterior of the evaporator plate if additional capacity is desired. These pieces of metal 'wiliactasiins and will increasetheexternal radiating surface of the plate.

The metal used in making the evaporator plates shown in the drawing, may be as light or heavy as desired. Ordinarily, the metal must be heavy enough to resist the force resulting from the difference of pressure between the exterior and interior of the plate. where radiating fins sheet of metal in intimate engagement, and an 1. An evaporator plate that is adapted for use inreirigerationsystemsandcomprisesasheetof metal having a plurality of projections thereon, said projections being formed so they are longer thanthey are wide, said projections being formed so they all extend in the same direction and form a plurality of spaced uni-directional rows that are parallel to each other. a second sheet of metal that is seam-welded to the first said sheet of metal to form a gas tight plate, said second sheet of metal contacting the projections on said first are used, however, the metal may be made even lighter because the fins will give additional structural stren th to the plate.

A number of evaporator plates of the type shown in Fig. i may be assembled to form an evaporator assembly. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 3. The refrigerant will enter the evaporator assembly through inlet tube 42 and will strike some of the projections 32. The impingement of the refrigerant on some of the projections 32 will disperse the refrigerant and tend to cause it to drop to the bottom of the evaporator assembly. The two plates are preferably joined by two tubes 43, one of which is at the top of the assembly and passes gaseous refrigerant and the other is at the bottom and passes liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant may then flow in both plates and be evaporated. The gaseous inlet tube and an outlet tube that are attached to the said plate and are in communication with the interior of said plate, said inlet and outlet tubes being adjacent one side of said plate, said projections being arranged so the ends of the projections in one row overlie the ends of the projecaway from said outlet tube while permitting frigerant will be drawn from the plate through the outlet tube It. Pins 4! may be attached to the plates to increase the external radiating surface of the plates and thereby increase the capacity of the evaporator assembly.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the versatility of the evaporator plates provided by the invention. The sheets that are used in making the plates are first bent to assume the configurations shown, and then they are seam welded together. In the evaporator plat shown in Fig. 4, a vertical barrier 46 is formed, by welding or any suitable means, between the inlet and outlet tubes 4! and It. This forces the refrigerant entering at I to flow completely around the periphery of the plate. before it is withdrawn at 50. In the evaporator plate shown in Fig. 5, the refrigerant enters at one end and is drawn out at the other end. This plate is quite useful in bottle coolers. The evaporator plates shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are just two forms into which the plate may be bent, but any suitable form can be made.

It can be seen from the above that by use of the invention, an inexpensive, simple, safe, and emcient evaporator plate can be made.

Whereas only a number of preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in the drawing and accompanying dethat various changes in form may be made without affecting the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

. scription, it is obvious to those skilled in the art gaseous refrigerant to move toward said outlet tube.

2. An evaporator plate that is adapted for use in refrigeration systems and comprises a sheet of metal having a plurality of projections thereon, said projections being formed so they are longer than they are wide, said projections being formed so they all extend in the same direction and form a plurality of spaced uni-directional rows that are parallel to each other, a second sheet of .ietal that is secured to said first sheet of metal to form a gas tight plate, said second sheet of metal contacting the projections on said first sheet of metal, and an inlet and an outlet tube that are attached to said plate and are in communication with the interior of said plate, said projections being arranged so the ends of the projections in one row overlie the ends of the projections in adjacent rows, said rows being angularly disposed re We to a straight line between said inlet arm a. and being disposed to hinder the flow of liquid refrigerant into said outlet tube.

3. An evaporator plate that is adapted for use in refrigeration systems and comprises a sheet of metal having a plurality of projections thereon, said projections being longer than they are wide and being arranged so they extend in the same direction, a second sheet of metal that. is seam welded to the first said sheet of metal to form a gas tight plate, an inlet tube and an outlet tube that are attached to the said plate and are in communication with the interior of the plate. said projections being positioned in rows that overlie each other and are anguiarly disposed to a straight line between said inlet and outlet tubes and are adapted to direct the liquid refrigerant away from said outlet tube while permitting gaseous refrigerant to move toward said outlet tube ERNEST GYGAX. 

